IIHF Worlds: Finland negatively in vogue

Well, I might have to take back some things I said about Finland two weeks ago, about how there wouldn’t be any greater hype.

There is actually a big hype around the team even this year, albeit modified and negative, and it has not been merciful either if we put it that way.

The Finnish media, experts, and fans have butchered the team’s effort and result into crumbs and dust in the newspapers and the TV studios.

Most of all, it has been demanded of the head coach by almost all experts and fans that he take a walk straight to the guillotine and let his head be served on a plate.

Are they right or wrong?

No, I have also required some changes as soon as possible, because I don’t myself recognize the mighty lions from Finland as they have played like cubs almost the whole tournament, and been lucky to have survived this far.

And, I do agree with many of the other experts that Lauri Marjamäki is not the right coach for the national team, the task is too big. Some warning bells rang already during the World Cup, now they are calling for a big, big storm coming up.

Purely technically, some bright parts have been visible, but mostly the players in each formation have been disillusioned on the ice, and way too passive defending when they lost the puck.

For example, three guys standing and just waiting on the red line. That kind of hockey we’ve already seen 30 years ago and we already knew then that it was a boring way to play. Not particularly efficient either to be honest.

If we talk a bit more about Lauri Marjamäki, as I do emphasize again, the task of running a national team is too big for him apparently, and it is certainly another thing than it is to win 2 golds in a league such as the Finnish Liiga.

Moreover, his way of coaching and how he sets up the game is too academical, and that is not going to work in such sport as hockey. You have to have the feeling of the game as well, and use the theory when it is required.

You just can’t over-analyse the ongoing game there in an Armani suit and hope for the best, that things will go away just like that.

A crucial element Marjamäki lacks is the commanding presence, as he’s rather absent and that doesn’t make the trust grow and flourish among the squad either.

Therefore, I do understand that the Finnish players on the current roster are thinking “What the heck is this?” but I don’t honestly dare to think what the players already thought during the World Cup.

So, you can say that Finland is in vogue but negatively.

Let us see what is going on in the coming week.

Canada is Canada, they are of course one of the favs in this tournament even this year, quite unnecessary of me to say it, even if they lost against Switzerland. But I suspect that the hardest competition comes from Russia and Sweden this year.

Better to end the Finnish discussion here, and say at the last that in their case, the Finnish cubs will be lucky if they survive any longer in this IIHF hockey savannah for this time. Otherwise, I do see in my vision a bunch of dead lions hanging from the branches in their skins.

No plan can prevent a stupid person from doing the wrong thing in the wrong place at the wrong time – but a good plan should keep a concentration from forming.

Arto Palovaara, Sunday Chronicler for Sports Rants Europe. Previously, he contributed for the betting company Betsafe, Svenska fans, Get real hockey and Ice nation UK. He is also an educated archaeologist and life coach who loves literature and history. Not to forget: probably he is the only sportswriter that plays the banjo.